The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) is the organizer of the Chess team in partnership with the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently-Abled (PHILSPADA), NPC Philippines in collaboration with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) will again oversee the Chess Tournament to be held at LagunaUniversityAnnexBuilding, Sta. Cruz, Laguna where ten (10) other sports events are to be played during the 2nd Philippine National Games on March 15-23, 2013 (formerly scheduled on February 15-23, 2013). The PHILSPADA, NPC-Philippines were authorized by the Philippine Sports Commission to organize the said National Games.

The NCFP Executive Director, GM Jayzon Gonzales and his staff will officiate the chess tournament together with Ms. Nanie Umali-Apostol providing support as the NCDA focal person for sports for persons with disabilities. Athletes coming from the different regions will be supported by their local government officials by virtue of DILG Memorandum Circular No.188 signed by Secretary Mar Roxas on November 23, 2012 while the national team members will be provided meals and transportation allowances by the Philippine Sports Commission. It was announced during the coordination meeting conducted by PHILSPADA, NPC-Philippines that only those athletes who are joining the National Games are qualified to join the elimination games of each sports event for any international competitions.

You may coordinate with Ms. Nanie Umali-Apostol at telephone number 952-28-09 for more details/any inquiries.

The National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will hold a Strategic Planning Workshop (Road Mapping) on the expansion of the Non-Handicapping Environment (NHE) Project for Persons with Disabilities in the Rural Areas on January 21-23, 2013 at the Travelers Hotel, corner Aguinaldo and Raymundo Streets, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales.

The NHE Workshop aims at organizing the Core Group/Technical Working Group and develop a logical framework/plan of action for the NHE expansion to facilitate implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project. This will be participated in by the officials and staff of the following agencies namely: NCDA, DSWD Central Office, Department of Health, Department of Tourism, Department of Transportation and Communications, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Labor and Employment, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and representatives from the sector with disabilities. As part of the workshop, the two (2) Mayors of the pioneering municipalities have been invited as resource persons to share their experiences and best practices in their NHE implementation to guide the participants in the development of their plan.

The NHE is a pro-poor project aimed at enhancing the physical and social accessibility of persons with disabilities. It was pioneered in the municipalities of New Lucena, Iloilo(Region VI) and Opol, Misamis Oriental (Region X) from 2008-2012. This was a technical cooperation project between NCDA and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) wherein two (2) JICA Experts were dispatched to help in the implementation of the project. The rich experiences and the impact of the project to persons with disabilities resulted to the expansion of the project in other Local Government Units (LGUs) of the country.

Godspeed, RP Paralympics Team! NCDA Executive Director Carmen Reyes-Zubiaga leads well wishers in honoring and cheering the “Go for Gold RP Paralympics Team”in a dinner hosted by the Council at the Bayview Plaza Hotel, last August 17, 2012. This sendoff of the Philippine bets to the “ International Paralympics” in London meaningfully capped the closing of the 3-day 3-day PDAO Congress held in the same hotel.

Sensitivity Training for House of Reps’ Personnel with Disabilities-photo

Take it from “Teacher Carla”. House of Reps Personnel learn tips on assisting persons with disabilities, from this vibrant SPED teacher ‘ón wheels’ Carla dela Cruz, cum laude BSEED graduate of Trinity University of Asia, now a classroom teacher in Commonwealth Elementary School. Shown on the right receiving her certificate of appreciation from Ms. Gertrude Pabelona, President of the HOR’s “Empowering Persons with Disabilities, Inc.” and some Congress officials, Carla was a consistent scholar in college and an American Field Service (AFS) exchange student in Poolesville High School, Maryland in 2004-2005. S her clincher, she shared that a wheelchair-user must be consulted first where he/she wants to go, and not to be maneuvered without consent, which was how they were treated for a long time.